At 3:00pm yesterday 31st January I finally hung up my spurs as Managing Director of Nutra Ingredients Ltd and called it a day.  Strangely enough it wasn't without a tinge of regret and sadness.  It all now seems so final.  But looking on the bright side today is the first day of the rest of my life however long that might be. So, I've started on ( Read more... )

I thoroughly enjoyed Michael Portillo's three series broadcast on BBC2 and entitled "Great British Railway Journeys". Like all good things the final series ended last week and this event has left a temporary void in my early evening's viewing enjoyment. I say temporary as I have invested in the boxed DVD sets covering Series 1 and Series 2 and so I ( Read more... )

The Queen's Head Inn at Icklesham was voted Sussex Pub Of The Year for 2005 by CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) and I can now wholeheartedly endorse that accolade. Ros and I enjoyed lunch here last Saturday with a friend of ours visiting from the Netherlands ( Read more... )

We had an excellent meeting with our supplier in Arras, France. Deal done, contract signed, dinner at the superb hotel restaurant accompanied by bottles of Gevrey Chambertain (rather pleased that we weren't paying at Euros 90.00 per bottle!), and a few cognacs saw us into the small hours ( Read more... )

A 5.00am start this morning ( Read more... )

The wedding was a splendid occasion at the perfect location of Rookery Manor in Somerset. After spending two nights at the George in Mere, Wiltshire, Ros and I journeyed on to Somerset on Sunday 13th.


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"Too f*****g busy and vice versa" said DOROTHY PARKER. Well, not the latter in my case. Long days and short weekends are the norm at present. I managed a brief visit yesterday to davesmusictank to drop off some items for his stall at Snoopers. Enjoyed a cup of coffee whilst listening to some strange music (sorry mate!) and then drove home to watch the ( Read more... )

I want to join this erstwhile society in Spain. The Almond Blossom Appreciation Society is the title of the latest book written by Chris Stewart, one-time Genesis drummer, turned bestselling writer. This book follows close on the heels of his previous successes 'Driving Over Lemons' and 'A Parrot In The Pepper Tree'. And epitomises my ideal of ( Read more... )

In a survey conducted last week by Retail Week magazine the top 100 shops in the world were named and praised (based on what criteria I have no idea). The shops were chosen by a group of leading figures in the retail industry including Richard Baker, chief executive of Boots. So, I had to take a look to see how many, if any, of these ennobled ( Read more... )

You Belong in Paris
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